Steam Pig
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Queensbury, usually in thick fog
First trip on my new bike
- Thread starter Steam Pig
- Start date
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Nice!
Where is Shibden valley - is it by Shibden Hall, east of Halifax?
Where is Shibden valley - is it by Shibden Hall, east of Halifax?
OP
OP
Steam Pig
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Queensbury, usually in thick fog
Yes, towards Queensbury
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I've just realised that you have duplicated yourself, unless there happens to be another Steampig/Steam Pig in this area ... 
I'm glad that the forum ride we did in May didn't put you off cycling for life!
I'm glad that the forum ride we did in May didn't put you off cycling for life!
Mrs M
Guru
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Enjoy more trips to come.
mustang1
Legendary Member
- Location
- London, UK
Cool beans! Write a little ride report!
I bought an MTB a few weeks ago, looking forward to hillasaurus in a couple of weeks if I can make it.
I bought an MTB a few weeks ago, looking forward to hillasaurus in a couple of weeks if I can make it.
OP
OP
Steam Pig
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Queensbury, usually in thick fog
Sorry I'm not steampig, just a coincidence. A Steam Pig is a well known piece of kit in certain circles
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I didn't think he lived in Queensbury, but that is a real coincidence, and confusing too!Sorry I'm not steampig, just a coincidence. A Steam Pig is a well known piece of kit in certain circles
Now I'm off to try and discover what a steam pig is ...
OP
OP
Steam Pig
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Queensbury, usually in thick fog
Re Mustang1
ok report to follow, never been given homework to do on a forum before
ok report to follow, never been given homework to do on a forum before
OP
OP
Steam Pig
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Queensbury, usually in thick fog
You asked for it
First trip out on a “proper mountain bike”
Queensbury, where I live is a small village between Bradford and Halifax, in the south Pennines. One small problem (or benefit depending on how fit you are) is it’s location, on a spur of the Pennine ridge at about 1000ft above sea level, so basically anywhere is downhill, (or uphill on the way home).
Anyhoo, my first trip, as keen walkers me and Mrs Steam Pig know the area pretty well, so it was a perfect starting point. The first piccy in in OP is taken looking over Leeming res. Towards Oxenhope and Haworth. Anybody who doesn’t know or is thinking of visiting this area forget Haworth, Oxenhope is much much more Bronte.
To get here the route is pretty good bridleway, just a few gates to negotiate, once on top there’s plenty of choice of routes. I decided to descend through Sawood (three houses) on quiet tarmac roads to the out-skirts of Haworth. I did a small loop and retraced back up through Sawood, very steep climb!
Back up the hill to Q’by and down the other side. Shibden Head, picky two taken above what I call Shibden Valley (not sure proper name) looking towards Shibden Hall. Anybody who’s heard of the “Shibden Wall” a 1:4 cobbled hill climb, that’s just off to the left.
It was pretty tricky here for me, wet single track, rocky and downhill, then you get a bit of respite before the steep drop down to the next traverse, which soon got much worse than I expected. Extremely steep, muddy, rocks and fallen branches, I’m slightly embarrassed to say, I had to dismount.
This track then emerges into the car park of a very nice pub nestling in the bottom of the valley, some 600-700ft below my destination. Tarmac from now on, steep climb out of the valley (note to self: remember to re-inflate tyres next time)
Third piccy taken looking back from the other side of the valley, again looking towards Shibden Hall.
Home is about 3miles away
This route could be easily split into two, MTB’ing around Oxenhope would be great for families, the Shibden side is probably a bit more extreme.
A couple of things I’ve learnt
Speed can be a friend, and an enemy
Tyre pressures can be critical
Don’t stay in the pub too long
Cheers
Next weekend, Swaledale. Mrs Steam Pigs first outing !!!
First trip out on a “proper mountain bike”
Queensbury, where I live is a small village between Bradford and Halifax, in the south Pennines. One small problem (or benefit depending on how fit you are) is it’s location, on a spur of the Pennine ridge at about 1000ft above sea level, so basically anywhere is downhill, (or uphill on the way home).
Anyhoo, my first trip, as keen walkers me and Mrs Steam Pig know the area pretty well, so it was a perfect starting point. The first piccy in in OP is taken looking over Leeming res. Towards Oxenhope and Haworth. Anybody who doesn’t know or is thinking of visiting this area forget Haworth, Oxenhope is much much more Bronte.
To get here the route is pretty good bridleway, just a few gates to negotiate, once on top there’s plenty of choice of routes. I decided to descend through Sawood (three houses) on quiet tarmac roads to the out-skirts of Haworth. I did a small loop and retraced back up through Sawood, very steep climb!
Back up the hill to Q’by and down the other side. Shibden Head, picky two taken above what I call Shibden Valley (not sure proper name) looking towards Shibden Hall. Anybody who’s heard of the “Shibden Wall” a 1:4 cobbled hill climb, that’s just off to the left.
It was pretty tricky here for me, wet single track, rocky and downhill, then you get a bit of respite before the steep drop down to the next traverse, which soon got much worse than I expected. Extremely steep, muddy, rocks and fallen branches, I’m slightly embarrassed to say, I had to dismount.
This track then emerges into the car park of a very nice pub nestling in the bottom of the valley, some 600-700ft below my destination. Tarmac from now on, steep climb out of the valley (note to self: remember to re-inflate tyres next time)
Third piccy taken looking back from the other side of the valley, again looking towards Shibden Hall.
Home is about 3miles away
This route could be easily split into two, MTB’ing around Oxenhope would be great for families, the Shibden side is probably a bit more extreme.
A couple of things I’ve learnt
Speed can be a friend, and an enemy
Tyre pressures can be critical
Don’t stay in the pub too long
Cheers
Next weekend, Swaledale. Mrs Steam Pigs first outing !!!
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
And the Mary Towneley Loop next year ...?
Pale Rider
Legendary Member
A good adventure for your first ride.
Happily, you will find most rides turn out that away.
You seem to be carrying a lot of stuff for 30 miles.
The less on the bike, the more fun it will be to ride.
Of course, it's your bike so you carry what you want, but my suggestion would be to leave some if it at home next time.
Happily, you will find most rides turn out that away.
You seem to be carrying a lot of stuff for 30 miles.
The less on the bike, the more fun it will be to ride.
Of course, it's your bike so you carry what you want, but my suggestion would be to leave some if it at home next time.
OP
OP
Steam Pig
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Queensbury, usually in thick fog
To be honest the panniers only had waterproofs in, the top bag has my camera and lenses. It was more of a test ride to see if my heels cleared the bags. I set off to just go around the block
Heisenberg
Regular
Nice bike and set up, that looks similar to what I'm thinking of doing for a few big rides next year
